Laundry machine



June 27, 1944. R. E. BASSETT, JR

LAUNDRY MACHINE Original Filed April 4,' I938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR EEX {an Bessmrdza June 27, 1944. ss JR 2,352,363

LAUNDRY MACHINE Original Filed April 4, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 iiiai -ziiiiivsri :i I 7% 86 C 76 C/ 0 lNv N TOR 19 x [ma Baas Err uk. F1 g. 2

ATTORNEY June 27, 1944. ss JR 2,352,363

LAUNDRY MACHINE Original Filed April 4, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 II I 'IIIIIIIIIEWIIIIII A INVENT OR. REX 5mm B 9S56T7l/R.

ATTORNEY Patented June 27, 1944 LAUNDRY moms Ibex Earl Bassett, In, Miami by mesne assignments,

and Metals, Inc., East Molin tion of Delaware Original application 199.808. Divided Beach, Fla., assignor, to American Machine e, 11]., a corpora- April 4, 1938, Serial No. and this application November 25, 1943, Serial No. 511,735

3' Claims.

. ing and rinsing and drying clothes in an automatic cycle.

. This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 199,808, filed April 4, 1938.

An object of the invention is to provide such a machine which does not have tobe bolted down, and in which vibrations due to the impossibility of perfectly balancing the load are taken care of without substantial effect on the machine support or on the machine cabinet. This is of special importance in a machine which at one step of its cycle is driven at high speed to dry the clothes centrifugally. K

In one desirable arrangement this object is at-\ tained by yieldingly mounting a unit which includes all the movable machine parts, and which in the illustrated machine includes a horizontal tub and a clothes container in the tub having a drive shaft at one end and a motor and a multiple-speed gearing driven by the motor and driving the shaft. Preferably there are drain and inlet connections to this unit which have flexible sections so that they do not interfere with the movement of the unit.

Various important features of novelty relate to the construction and arrangement of the yielding mountings, and especially an arrangement by which the above-described unit is suspended from them by connecting them to the tub above the center of gravity of the unit, and to the connection of the movable unit to a stationary cabinet which incloses it.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my novel machine;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken just inside the front wall of the cabinet of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2' showing details of the clothes door construction;

Figure 4 is a partial section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing details of the soap door construction;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the novel rubber mounting device;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing details of the construction of the feet on which the machine rests;

Figure 8 is a wiring diagram of the machine;

Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the operating cycle of the machine;

The machines shown in the drawings are in many respects similar in construction to those fully described, and claimed in a prior joint application of John W. Chamberlin and myself No. 129,429, filed March 6, 1937, matured into Patent No. 2,165,884 on July 11, 1939, and in Dodge application No. 129,412, filed on the same date, matured into Patent No. 2,173,603 on September 19, 1939, and operate automatically according to the same cycle.

In the embodiment of Figures 1-7 the machine includes a support such as a drawn steel peripherally-flanged base l0 provided with feet l2 resting on the floor. As shown in Figure 7, the feet preferably consist of blocks l4 secured to the base In and provided with a coating iii, of brass or the like, to which is vulcanized or otherwise secured a coating or facing l8 of rubber, which frictionally engages the floor.

Above the feet l2 and secured to the base l6 stamped vertical saddles or supports I34 are positioned as shown in Figure 2 and at the top of the supports l34 are novel yielding devices 20. Each of the devices 20 includes a base plate 22 adapted to be bolted to the supports I34, and to the upper face of which is vulcanized or otherwise bonded a block 24 of soft rubber material, of the type known as sponge rubber or in some other form which will sustain a considerable load but which offers little resistance to transverse deflection.

The base plate 22 is shown formed with front and back flanges 26 embracing the rubber block between them and to which the rubber is preferably vulcanized or otherwise bonded. The upper face of the block 24 has vulcanized thereto a top plate 26 formed with a tapped opening 30 for fastening-short stampings I32 which are welded to the tub wall.

In order to limit horizontal right and left movements, each mounting is provided with a bumper, for example a horizontal U-shaped member 34 having its ends spot-welded to the flanges 26 and having vulcanized to its central section a bumper block 36 of soft rubber. The block 36 is normally spaced from the block 24, and has its face curved to engage the entire upper side of block 36 when flexed to the extreme limit it is desired to permit.

The tub shown is of the construction described in detail, and claimed, in the above-identified 2 asoasea Dodge application. As best shown in Figures 3 arranged to seal the cabinet opening and to close and 4,11: is generally cylindrical in shape, with its the major part oi the openings in the tub and axis arranged horizontally, and with an opening in its front wall. The rear wall consists of two concave disks l peripherally secured together, and secured to a flange at the edge of the tub stamping, by a channel-shaped clamp ring 02.

Within the tub 30 is arranged a perfora cylindrical clothes container ll, formed with ribs or bailles l6 and formed with an opening ll (Figure 3) in its front face for the insertion and removal of the clothes. As described in the aboveidentifled Dodge application the container 44 has its rear wall provided with a drive shaft journaled in bearings carried by the disks 40 and provided with a pulley driven by a belt I0.

Welded or otherwise secured to the bottom of the tub a, and nroiecti s d wnwardlyt from, are brackets 02,120 which are pivoted horizontal arms 01 carryin a drive unit consisting of an electric motor 50 and a two-speed transmission 0 driving the belt II. In the arrangem at shown, the motor 00 also drives a rotary pump 00 connected by a suitable flexible conduit 62 to the usual drain connections, and which applies a constant suction to a flexible drain connection 04 from a drain or screened sump 80 at the bottom of the tub. The drain is controlled by a valve it operated by a solenoid 10. The weight of the drive unit keeps the belt 00 tight at all times. The speed of the transmission 00 is changed from low to high or vice versa by energizing or deenergizing a solenoid I4 (Figure 8).

Hot and cold water for washing is supplied to a mixing chamber It through hot and cold water inlet valves I0 and 80 controlled by solenoids 02 and 04. As hereinafter explained, a thermostatic switch 88, subject to the temperature of the water in the mixing chamber, is connected in series with the cold water solenoid ll. A flexible conduit 08 connects the mixing chamber IS with an inlet nozzle 90 discharging into the tub 38 at the periphery of the clothes door described below.

A float chamber 92, secured to the back of the tub 38, is connected to the lower part of the tub by a conduit 94 and contains a suitable float connected to a float switch 96 which is connected in series with both inlet solenoids 82 and ll, as shown in Figure 8; this float mechanism closes both inlet valves whenever the water in the tub reaches a predetermined level. If preferred, the conduit 84 may be flexible so as to enable relative movement between the tub and the float chamber.

The mechanism described above is inclosed in a housing comprising top and side and rear and front panels which are secured together. (and some of which may if desired be integral with each other), and which are mounted on the base I0, to form a cabinet 90 for the machine.

The top of the cabinet is formed with an opening, provided with a soap door I00 (Figures 1 and 4), and the margin of this opening is connected to a flange I02 about a corresponding opening in the tub 38 by a tubular flexible member such as a corrugated rubber boot or bellows I00. The front walls of the clothes container 44 and of the tub 38 and of the cabinet 90 are formed as shown in Figure 3 with three registering openings, for the introduction and withdrawal of the work to be washed. The cabinet is provided with a door I06, hinged at the bottom and having a latch I08 at the top, and which is va dished central portion This door is provided with lid of glass. offset inwardly substantially into the plane of the front wall of the clothes container 44, and which serves to hold the clothes in the container during the operation of the machine.

A flexible tubular member such as a rubber boot or bellows H2 is formed to be snapped over the edges of the openings in the cabinet and the tub. This boot slopes downwardly at the bottom, so that it drains back into the tub.

The cycle of the machine is shown diagrammatically in Figure 9. The machine is controlled automatically to give this cycle by a cyclic switch I, the operation of which is shown diagrammatically in the wiring diagram of Figure 0. This switch includes a cam-shaft Iii, driven through a one-way clutch and reduction gearing III by a small constant-speed motor I20 of the type used in electric clocks.

The cam-shaft II. (which, because of the oneway clutch in the drive, can when desired be advanced manually to shorten the cycle) is provided with suitable cams I20 opening and closing contacts or spring switches I22 which control parallel circuits between the power lines I24.

The motors I and I20 are controlled by one switch I22, and are on throughout the cycle. The second switch I22 controls the -drain valve solenoid I0. The solenoids I0, 02, and II, are in parallel with each other, but all three are in series with the float switch 00, so that the water supply is cut of! when the float is in its upper position, and so that the transmission cannot go into high speed when there is water in the tub. A manually-operable switch I20 is provided so that when it is closed the cold water inlet will always be open, under the control of the thermostatic switch 06, whenever the hot water inlet is the clothes container.

ready. This insures against the water being too,

hot for woolens and the like.

Figure 9 shows a series of circles, each corresponding to one of the switches I22, and the inner one corresponding to the float switch, and indicating just when the various switches open and close throughout the cycle. In the particular cycle illustrated, after the clothes are in the machine and the door I08 closed the camshaft is advanced manually from of! to "fill" to start the machine. The machine then illls with hot water (or with mixed water if the switch I20 is closed), to soak the clothes, then drains the excess water'away, and comes to rest until the operator starts it again. The operator then again advances the camshaft from "oil" to fill," and then adds soap through the door Ill, watching through the glass IIO to see when a proper suds has formed.

The rest of the cycle is entirely automatic. The clothes are washed In the manner fully described in a prior joint patent of John W. Chamberlin and myself, No. 2,165,884, the dirty wash water is then drained out and rinse water injected, the clothes are then allowed to tumble at low speed without water until uniformly distributed in the clothes container, and the container is then rotated at high speed long enough to extract most of the rinse water centrifugally. This is followed by another fllling and rinsing, followed by a flush rinse with both the drain and inlet open, a second distribution, and an extraction period. and these steps may if desired be repeated as shown to give another rinse and a final relatively long period of centrifugal extraction, after which the machine stops automatically ready for removal of the dry clothes.

The cabinet 88 may have, below the door I", another door I36 (Figure 1) aflording ready access to the drain, the motor, etc.

In the operation of the machine, the yielding devices which support the main operating unit are especially effective during the extraction stages of the cycle, as perfect distribution of the load of course cannot be secured and the load is always at least slightly ofl center. The oil-center loading gives rise to a force which is taken by the floor as to downward components, and by the weight of the main operating unit as to upward components. This weight is great enough so that even with, maximum oflE-center loading the machine never tends to leave the floor.

The mountings 20 ofler very little resistance to right and left transverse movements of the operating unit, but practically prevent any forward or backward movements, and also limit the right and left movements to rectilinear movement and entirely prevent any horizontal gyratory motion. The right and left transverse movements follow each other in such rapid succession that, due to the inertia of the operating unit and its load, they balance each other out.

While an illustrative embodiment has been described in detail, it is not the intention to limit the scope of the invention to such particular embodiment, or otherwise than by the terms of ,the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A laundry machine including a support, a generally cylindrical tub with its axis substantially horizontal and a container movably mounted in the tub and a motor and a multiple-speed gearing driven by the motor and driving the container and all of which are secured together in a unit, and yielding means for mounting said unit on the support and for transmitting vertical components assasss or 'said movements of the unit to said support,

said support including parts adjacent the sides of said tub, and said yielding means including blocks of rubber material carried by said parts above the center of gravity of the unit and members mounted on said blocks and secured to said tub and carrying said unit.

2. A laundry machine comprising a substantially horizontal tub having front and back end closures and a power-driven container mounted in said tub, a support, and means for mounting the tub on the support including blocks of rubber material of substantial height arranged above the center of gravity of the tub and transmitting vertical components of force from the container to said support and which do not greatly resist horizontal components, and parts on the support embracing the front and back sides of said blocks without substantially resisting transverse movement thereof, in combination with a bumper mounted on the support adjacent the outer side 01' each block and which bumpers limit said transverse movement.

3. A laundry machine including a support, a generally cylindrical tub with its axis substantially horizontal and a container movably mounted in the tub and a motor and a multiple-speed gearing driven by the motor and driving the container and all of which are secured together in a unit, and yielding means for mounting said unit on the support and for transmitting vertical components of movements of the unit to said support, said yielding means including devices above the center of gravity of the unit constructed and arranged to offer relatively little resistance to horizontal movements of said unit and to resist vertical movements of said unit, together with guides for the yielding means preventing gyratory motion in a, horizontal plane and restricting the horizontal motion to rectilinear motion transversely of the machine.

REX EARL BASSE'IT, Jr. 

